Lethal
by KillTheLights95
Summary: You'd probably think that Finnick Odair is District Four's most famous victor. But years prior, there was a girl from District Four who the country admired. She may be dead and gone now, but this is the story of Nita Thierry.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I woke on the morning of the reaping to rain pounding on the windows. This was my fourth reaping and every year, it rained. Well, in District 4. In most of the other districts, the sun was shining.

I dressed quickly in a grey sweater and brown trousers. Pulling on my leather boots, I stumbled into the kitchen.

My mother and brother were already up, halfway through a small breakfast of tessera bread spread with honey.

"Morning Nita," my mother says. "You slept late." There are heavy purple shadows under her eyes and I know she didn't sleep a wink last night.

"I thought I might as well. Wayne had us training late last night." I yawn and sit myself down next to my older brother, Jett. He's grinning.

"That didn't stop me from getting up at the crack of dawn," he smirks, finishing his breakfast and rubbing the crumbs from his hands. "There was no point of you getting dressed in that. You'll just have to take a bath now anyway."

I groan, realizing he's right. That's what I get for being lazy.

As I munch through my breakfast, my mother boils some water for a bath. I hop in gratefully – the rain has come with icy cold winds that keep forcing our front door open, chilling me to the bone.

When I'm finished, I dress in a pale green dress that floats around my knees – a hand me down from my sister. I pull on a pair of my mothers shoes, scrape my hair off my face with an old metal hair band and look in the mirror.

Well, it's good enough.

In the kitchen, my mother and Jett are both ready. Jett looks effortlessly handsome in black trousers and a blue shirt. No wonder the girls at school and training drool over him.

We walk to the town square in silence. I know what we're all thinking. Last year, four of us were making this walk.

My sister Marielle would have been nineteen by now. Safe from the reaping. But she got chosen last year. The final two came down to her and the other District 4 tribute, Pierce. She looked at him and said, "I don't want to kill you." He replied, "Good." And threw a spear through her stomach. I've never been able to look at him since.

When we reach the square, I'm herded into the area for fifteen year olds. Jett is near the front with the eighteens. His last reaping. I pray he doesn't get chosen.

The clock strikes two and the mayor reads the same old speech he reads every year. I know it off by heart myself. Then he reads out the previous victors of district 4, who hobble onto the stage as he speaks. I glare at Pierce.

He then introduces District Four's escort, Trinity, who bounces onto stage overcome with glee. She looks hideous. Her hair is electric blue and almost reaches her knees. A wig no doubt.

"Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favour," she gives us a cosmetically altered grin before continuing. "Ladies first!"

She crossed to one of the glass balls and I clench my hands in fists.

"Nita Thierry."

My heart nearly stops. Me. How could that happen? Just last year, we had to watch Marielle die. Now my family will have to do the same with me.

I make my way up to the stage, trying to avoid glancing at my brother in the crowd of eighteens, knowing he'll be sobbing, through grief at my certain death. I take my place and Trinity smiles at me.

"Ah, Nita. You wouldn't happen to be related to Marielle Thierry, District Four's female tribute from last year?"

Her smile repels me, but I answer clearly, "Yes. She was my sister." I finish this sentence with a glare at Pierce, whose eyes drop to the ground.

Trinity, obviously sensing the tension, says, "Lovely. Any volunteers?"

For a change, there's no volunteers. Normally, being a Career District, there are hoards of people willing to be tribute. But not today.

"Ok then. Now it's time to announce our male tribute."

She crosses to the other glass ball and shoves her perfectly manicured hand in. My fingers cross behind my back for Jett's safety. If we both go, my mother will surely die of shock.

Trinity smoothes the slip of paper and says, "Anton Valentine."

I don't know the name, but by the hushed whispers in the crowd, I gather he's quite young. I'm right. As Anton approaches the stage, I can see that he can only be about twelve.

Great. If I survive this, I'll have to watch a twelve year old die.

"Any volunteers?" asks Trinity.

"I volunteer!" There's a shout from the middle of the crowd. A boy from my class in school begins shoving his way through the crowd. I don't know his name, but he's explicitly handsome. I've seen him in our training too, and he is amazingly agile, and strong.

"Excellent," says Trinity. "Anton, you may leave."

The little boy's eyes light up and he jumps off the stage, rushing through the crowd, no doubt looking for his family.

"Now young man, what is your name?"

"Leon Kowalski." He smiles at her and she returns it.

"Then please give a big round of applause to this years District 4 tributes, Nita Thierry and Leon Kowalski!"

The crowd gives their token applause and the mayor begins to read the Treaty of Treason. But all I'm thinking is, I hope Leon's not the one who kills me. And I hope Pierce is not my mentor.

**Please review! Oh, and by the way, I'm still continuing with my other fan fiction. I currently have two posted and I'm working on their next chapters and two more fan fictions!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, this is quite short, but enjoy.**

Chapter 2

Leon and I are taken to the Justice building by three Peacekeepers. One of them, Trey, has an almost relieved expression on his face. I wonder why until I remember that Trey's surname is Valentine. He must be related to that twelve year old, Anton. Leon saved him.

I'm taken to the most luxurious room I've ever seen. The carpet is midnight blue, and the walls are turquoise. Most of the other Districts assume that because District Four trains before the Hunger Games, we are much richer too. That's not the case. We're just as poor as the rest of them.

My mother and Jett arrive first. Jett's face is tear-stained, his eyes red and puffy. He bites his lip, trying to refrain from crying anymore. But when I open my arms, he breaks down.

"Oh, Nita!" he wails. He may be taller than me and stronger, but that doesn't stop me from wrapping my arms around him, like I'm the older sibling. My mother joins the embrace and we stay like this for what seems like hours.

As we pull away, I turn to my mother. "I'll win. I promise. I will come home," I say with as much ferocity as I can muster.

She only nods. She knows I can't possibly win. Marielle didn't, and she was the bravest person I knew.

A Peacekeeper comes to the door and signals the end of my families' farewell. Before they leave, Jett says, "Watch out for Leon. You've seen him in training. You know what he can do."

I nod silently. Of course I know what Jett can do. He can do _everything_. And that is not just me exaggerating.

My next guest is my friend, Lucia. We've always been the kind of friends who always have something to say. But today, there are no words. We simply hug each other until the Peacekeeper tells her to leave.

"Bye, Nita," she says sadly. I reply with a sad smile. When she's gone, I use all my willpower not to cry.

My next visitor is Jett's friend, Tanner. I've never told anyone this, but I've always had a bit of a thing for him. His tousled, caramel hair, sparkling green eyes and cheeky grin are just irresistible. But why has he come to say goodbye?

Tanner stands there awkwardly for a moment, before saying, "Look Nita. I've always known you've liked me. And if this is my last chance – I wanted to tell you that I like you too. A lot."

There's a second of silence while I process what he's just said. And then I rush to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His hands slide around my back and he whispers, "Please come back. Promise."

"I promise," I whisper back. And then our embrace is broken by the Peacekeeper at the door. I get one final glimpse of Tanner's enchanting green eyes before he's yanked out of the room.

I really feel like crying now. Tanner likes me too. But I'm going to die before anything can become of it.

No. I promised him I would come back. And I will. For Tanner, I will.

The Peacekeeper comes into the room and escorts me to a shiny black car outside. I slip into the plush leather seats, feeling bizarre. I've never been in a car before.

The train station is flooded with reporters and photographers, heavy black cameras hanging around their necks. They gobble up me and Leon's images before we're led onto the train by Trinity.

"Okay, guys, first things first," says Trinity in her annoying nasal voice. "You need to choose your mentors. The past District Four victors are going to the Capitol, so you can choose right now if you want."

I exchange a glance with Leon and we nod in unison. At least now I'll get Pierce right out of my way.

The victors are sitting in a large compartment, even more luxurious than the room in the Justice Building. One of them, a middle aged woman, stands up and says," Right, you can choose anyone. You don't have to choose the same person if you don't want. I'm Mags"

Leon immediately says, "I've already chosen."

"Good," says Mags. "Who would you like, Leon?"

"Pierce Levesque."

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	3. Chapter 3

**Another short chapter, but please enjoy anyway.**

Chapter 3

I am momentarily stunned. Pierce Levesque. The person who murdered my sister will be mentoring the person who wants to kill me.

Pierce stands and shakes Leon's hand, carefully avoiding the look of contempt I'm giving them. "Come on, Leon. I'll take you to your room." They leave and the room is silent.

I am shaken but nevertheless, I turn to the victors and try to decide who to pick. The one that makes most sense is Mags. She won the 11th Hunger Games when she was 17 years old, so she's seen every single game that's been played. She knows what she's doing and she seems nice.

"Mags," I say. She smiles at me and stands up.

"Okay. I'll take you to your room too." We walk down the train in silence and she opens one of the doors.

The room is huge, considering we're on a train. I even have my own bathroom.

"There are clothes in the dresser. Just help yourself. Either me or Trinity will come and collect you for dinner," she says. I'm about to say thank you when she continues, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

I nod. Mags settles herself on my bed and tucks her hair behind her ears. "I knew your sister. I mentored her last year. And I mentored Pierce too. He didn't want to kill her."

"Yes he did and you know it," I reply, rage overcoming my mind. Of course he meant to kill her. He looked her in the eye and stabbed her.

"No he didn't. Pierce's mother was ill. He needed to come home to look after her. His mother died three weeks after his victory. Now he wishes he'd killed himself and let Marielle be the victor."

I take a minute to process this. Pierce wanted to look after his mother. So he killed my sister. And then his mother died.

"It doesn't matter. He still killed her. And I'll always hate him."

Mags sighs in defeat. "Okay, Nita. So, do you want some advice?"

I nod and she says, "When we get to the Capitol, you'll be taken to your stylist. They will do whatever they want to you, even if you complain, so it's better to just stay quiet and let them work. Got it?"

"Yes," I say. She smiles and leaves.

I desperately want to cry, for so many reasons. My mother and Jett left home alone. Tanner confessing his true emotions. Leon choosing Pierce as his mentor. My sisters' death for nothing.

But even though I want to, I don't cry. Because I am not going to be a weakling, someone who dies on the first day. I'm going to be in the Career pack. And I'm going to fight till the end.

I go into the adjoining bathroom and take a shower, something I've never had before. The hot water (another luxury I've very rarely enjoyed) streams down my back and I sigh in pleasure.

When I'm finished, I go back into the main room and open the dresser. There must be thousands of items of clothing in total. I pull out a red sweater and grey trousers. My hair has just dried completely when someone knocks on the door. It's Mags, calling me to dinner.

I'm very excited about dinner. I've heard all about the Capitol food. My excitement almost overcomes me until I remember that Pierce is Leon's mentor – which means he'll be dining with us.

In the dining car, Trinity, Leon and _Pierce _are settled around the table, chatting happily to each other. When Pierce sees me, he lowers his gaze and falls silent.

I turn my attention to the meal that is laid before me. A thick green soup, soft warm bread spread with butter, a curry with some sort of meat completely foreign to me, a portion of freshly cut vegetables, a mouthwatering chocolate cheesecake and biscuits. Yum.

I eat until I can't eat anymore. In fact, I'm feeling a little sick. Leon looks a bit peaky too. Being from a Career District, we do get more to eat than some of the others. But never this much.

When we're all finished, Trinity leads us into a television room. Pierce sits next to the door so I sit next to the window, the furthest away from him that I can get.

The television comes on and we're watching the recap of the reapings. I try to remember as many faces and names as I can, especially the Career pack, since I will be fighting with them.

The District One tributes, Iridesia and Ristan, are stunning. Iridesia's hair falls down her back in blond waves and her eyes gleam. Ristan's hair is tousled, his body lean and muscular. They will have sponsors lapping at their heels.

The District Two tributes are both volunteers. The girl, Mori, is small, but I can see large muscles bursting through the shirt she's wearing. Her hair is shoulder length and choppy. The boy, Clarke, is tall and typically brutish looking.

District Three are both easily forgettable. And then they show us. I see myself going up to the stage, and I am pleased at how bored I look, like the Games are a piece of cake. Anton is called and then Leon volunteers.

Most of the other tributes make hardly any impression on me. The boy from Six, Onaro, looks quite strong and well fed considering he's not a Career. The District Nine girl is stunningly beautiful as well. She has ashy brown hair that reaches her elbows and glassy brown eyes. Both the District Eleven tributes, Elvie and Crayte, are eighteen and very tall and beautiful. The District 12 tributes, Colbie and Adam, are the opposite – they are both twelve, Adam probably just edging to thirteen.

The television flicks off and Pierce and Leon head off to bed. I leave soon afterward, trying to remember all I can about the tributes I've just seen.

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Another short chapter. Sorry! I will try to make them longer, but if they don't get any better, they definitely will improve when we actually reach the games! Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

I awake to a knocking on my door. It's Trinity, telling me breakfast is just being served and to come when I'm ready.

I take my time in the shower, letting the water overcome my sense. I love water. Living in District Four, I kind of have to. When I was younger, my friends' father worked on a boat. He'd take us out and we'd sit peacefully for hours, fishing. At school, we got taught how to swim and to tie nets. We learned how to wield tridents in training and spear fish with them in our daily work. I felt bad about killing the fish, until I remembered the rumbling in my stomach.

I dress in a blue shirt and the same trousers from yesterday and head to the dining car. I sigh in relief when I realize that it's only Trinity and Mags there – no Pierce.

There are multiple carts spread out around the carriage and I take my time choosing what to eat. I don't want to overload again. I settle on waffles with butter, a ham and tomato omelet, a glass of orange juice and a rich brown cup of something I've seen only once. Hot chocolate, I think. I've only ever seen this at one New Year celebration. The mayor and his family were drinking it.

I sit in silence and tune out Trinity and Mags' conversation. We'll be at the Capitol soon. Where they'll transform me. Some years the tributes have been completely unrecognizable, but the stylists were always criticized for their recklessness, even by the Capitol residents.

There car suddenly goes dark and I realize we're in the tunnel leading up to the Capitol. I get out of my seat and feel my way to the window in the darkness. When the light floods back in, I gasp.

Nobody has accentuated the beauty of the Capitol. The towering buildings, glass front doors and multicolored streets lights. The colors are so vibrant that I can't look at them for long. The yellows are blinding, the pinks garish, even the whites seem eerie. The people are bizarre – I've seen them on television every year but it's different seeing them in the flesh. Their stenciled bodies, pristine teeth, wigs in every shade are repulsive. Still, they are all well fed.

* * *

My prep team has to be three of the most annoying people I've ever met. I've only been with them for a few hours and already their accents have me going potty. That and their crazy fashion sense is enough to drive someone insane.

"Well, that's you done. You look _so_ much better already! Just wait till Finn gets here!" exclaims Mecianna, who has been ripping the majority of my body hair off. Her own hair is dyed green and snakes down her back in a mass of ringlets.

"Yes, darling, you look fabulous," says Dimitri, a man with pink spiky hair and purple blusher brushed down his cheeks.

I try my best to smile. "Thank you. You've done an amazing job." My voice sounds as sickly sweet as their own but the lap up my gratitude.

"You're very welcome sweetie!" says Leila, tossing her electric red hair over her shoulder. "Let's get Finn!"

I'm assuming Finn is my stylist, since none of them have actually told me. I stand there completely naked, waiting apprehensively for this monstrosity to join me.

Finn is almost exactly what I expected. He has turquoise hair pulled back in a large quaff. His eyes are ringed with black eyeliner, giving him the look of a bizarre panda. He's dressed in a leather jacket, ruffled tartan shirt and tight blue trousers. Yet when he smiles at me and begins to speak in his ridiculous accent, he seems genuine.

"Hello Nita. I'm Finn, your stylist. I'm just going to look at you. Then we'll grab lunch and talk, okay?" His voice is irritating but he's nice, so I nod.

He circles me a few times, then hands me a purple silk robe and we go to an adjacent room, where lunch has been laid out. Lamb in a creamy sauce, pureed vegetables, buttery potatoes and a lemon colored tart for dessert. Yum.

We eat in silence, gazing out of the large window at the landscape of the city. I've just scraped up the last of my tart when Finn says, "Now Nita, as you know, in the opening ceremonies, the tributes must wear something reflective of their districts main export."

"Yes," I say. District One, gem mining. Eleven, agriculture. Twelve, coal. Being from Four, I'll be wearing something fish related. Normally our costumes are pretty decent. Apart from one year. The boy was dressed as a square-shaped sponge, the girl as a pineapple. Apparently, it was related to some cartoon they watch in the Capitol, about a sponge who lives in a pineapple. Most of the Districts hated it, but they were loaded with sponsors. A good way to win over the Capitol's citizens.

"This year, your district partner and yourself will be dressed fairly similarly. Now, apart from fish, what lives in the sea?"

"Plants?" I answer.

"Yes. But that's not what you're going to be. Think of something more – mythical," he replies, a glint in his eye.

"Oh. Merpeople," I say.

"Exactly," Finn smiles.

Well, it could be worse. I'm not going to be a pineapple. I'm going to be a mermaid.

* * *

A few hours later, I look sensational. My hair is pulled away from my face with a sparkly blue clasp, falling in waves down my back. I'm wearing a silver crop top and I have a tail made of silver scales that are incredibly realistic. My whole body has been painted a bluish green color, to give the impression of inhumanity. Gems outline my eyes and there is a silver net draped across my shoulders.

"So what do you think?" asks Finn.

"It's brilliant," I answer. And it's true.

We head down to the ground floor of the remake centre, where most of the other tributes are gathered. Leon is already there. He's wearing a silver tail, net and is painted green too. He has fish and waves painted on his arms. I can't help noticing how toned his chest is.

"You look good," he says to me.

"Thanks. So do you," I answer, and then we fall silent. Mags comes up to us and tells us we look brilliant, as does Trinity (almost bursting with excitement). Pierce stays back, well aware of my hatred to him.

We get into our chariot, pulled by horses that are incredibly well trained. They have been sprayed green to match us. Our chariot is also a sea green color.

An upbeat song comes on and the District One tributes roll out, looking gorgeous. They're dressed in golden jumpsuits that glitter insanely in the evening light.

Districts Two and Three follow and then it's our turn. We roll out to blazing screams on either side. Everyone loves the merpeople from District Four. I smile and wave and before I know it, we're in the city circle. The President gives his speech, the anthem plays and suddenly, we're in the Training Centre.

Mags, Trinity, Pierce, Finn and Leon's stylist, Aisha, are ecstatic about the crowds' reaction to us. I just smile wanly and accept their congratulations, when all I want to do at this moment is collapse into bed. And finally, we're taken to the elevator.

The elevator is glass, so you can see the people in the foyer as you shoot upwards. We arrive on our floor and I immediately excuse myself to bed. I rip off my outfit, splash my face with water and without even looking at the paradise I am in, hop under the covers, drifting off instantly.

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter isn't very good, I must admit. But enjoy anyway!**

Chapter 5

When I wake up, I am momentarily disorientated. I can't seriously be here, can I? In this room bigger than my whole house, a bed that could fit twenty people in it, sunlight streaming through a gigantic window that stretches the length of the wall. I blink slowly and when I open my eyes again, I remember that I never even glanced at the luxurious place I am in last night. I just fell asleep.

A quick glance at the clock tells me it's six thirty. I vaguely remember Mags telling me she'd come and see me at nine, then take me to breakfast and down to training for ten. This gives me plenty of time to explore this paradise, fiddle with the panel of buttons in the shower and order something to eat before breakfast. The Capitol food is prime.

It's around half past eight when I've examined everything in my room. My shower lasted about an hour because I got preoccupied by the buttons. I pull on a blue sweater and black trousers that were left hanging on a hook by the door. Then, I pull my hair into a bun on the top of my head, braiding some strands at the front and wrapping the around it. It's something my sister used to do for me and I've never tried myself, so by the time I'm finished, Mags is knocking on the door.

"Good morning Nita," she says brightly. "Can we have a chat?"

I nod and close the door behind her. She settles herself on the pink silk bedspread and I perch next to her, wondering what she's here for.

She obviously senses my unease because she says, "Don't worry Nita. I just want to know what kind of things you're capable of. I've never worked with you in training before, so I'm not sure what you're strengths are."

I let out a sigh of relief. Here, I can prove that I could win this whole game. "Well, I have good aim. Give me a weapon and tell me where you want it thrown, I'll get it there," I say.

"Good," she says, looking pleased. "Anything else?"

"I can make good nets and fires. I can climb. And I know a lot about plant life."

Mags looks impressed. "How did you learn all of that?"

"My brother is good at the survival stuff. Marielle had a good aim. I'm sort of a mixture, with some extra stuff thrown in," I grin.

"Okay then. During training, we need the Careers to see how talented you are. And you need to prove to the other tributes that you're a threat. Show off. A lot," she says.

I nod in response. She says, "Okay, ready for breakfast?"

"Yes," I say. My stomach feels hollow, even though I stuffed myself with delicacies before she even arrived.

Trinity, Leon, Pierce, Finn and Aisha are all gathered around the table, chatting merrily. I sit next to Finn and join in, even allowing myself to acknowledge Pierce. I don't know why, but I'm in an unusually good mood.

Trinity takes Leon and I to the elevator just before ten. When the doors shut behind her, we hurtle down in silence. Before we reach the bottom though, I manage to slip out one question. "Why did you pick Pierce?"

He gives me a sheepish look. "I thought it would make sense, seeing as he won last year. I only remembered when you glared at him that he killed your sister. I'm sorry."

I'm taken aback by his words. He picked Pierce by accident? I never thought of Leon as a soft person – he's too strong. But I guess everyone has a charming side.

Before I can say anything else, the doors slide open again. We're the last tributes to arrive – the rest are gathered in a circle. As Leon and I take our place, someone sticks the number 4 on my back.

When the clock hand slides onto ten, the head trainer, a woman named Resha, steps forward and explains a bit about the different training stations and how we're not allowed to use any weapons against each other. She dismisses us and the Careers scramble to the best weapon stations, including me. I head to the spear throwing.

The trainer, Xan, asks me to show him how far I can throw, and then he'll correct my technique. I pick up a spear and launch it towards a target. It lands on the furthest away one and Xan nods his approval.

It's only then that I notice I have company. The District One tributes, Iridesia and Ristan, have joined me.

Iridesia smiles and says, "Good throw. You're Nita, right?"

I nod. "Yes. And you're Iridesia. And Ristan, right?"

They nod and we chuck spears for a while, commenting on the other tributes and what other skills we have. They seem impressed by what I can do and I am equally impressed by them.

We're just moving on to hand-to-hand combat when the District 2 girl swings up to join us.

"I'm Mori," she says cheerily, swinging her choppy black hair over her shoulder. We introduce ourselves and take it in turns to fight against the trainer, Milo.

Lunch is announced and us tributes traipse into an adjacent room. There are carts laid out around the room laden with food. Everybody helps themselves and sits down. Most tributes sit alone, except for the District 11 and 12 tributes, who eat in a four. I eat with Iridesia, Ristan, Mori and Leon and Clarke, the District 2 boy, who come over and join us. We have a fun time, laughing and joking about what we're going to do after lunch.

I head back into training with Clarke and Iridesia. Iridesia's probably the only one who genuinely likes me. We're only making a pack to get at the weaker tributes, not because we like each other. But Iridesia's nice.

The three of us do archery for a while, and then move onto camouflage. When we're finally told training is over, I am exhausted.

At dinner that evening, Pierce, Trinity and Mags drill us about what we were doing. Mags tells us that the District One and Two tributes requested us as allies, which means we've already made it into the career pack.

I go back to my room after dinner and even though it's still quite early, drop into bed and drift off. It's strange – I've trained harder than this before back home, but today, with all the phony friendships, it's become a lot more tiring.

Over the next three days, us six Careers make our way around all of the stations, everyone excelling in one or more stations. I find myself drawn to spear throwing, knot tying and climbing, although I have a knack for almost all of the stations available.

On the third day, during lunch, we're called out for our private sessions. I still don't know what I'm going to do – maybe chuck some spears or make a net.

"Nita Thierry," a man calls.

I stand up and head into the training room, my heart pounding in my throat. It's only when I reach the camouflage station that I realize I've subconsciously come up with an idea and have been poised to carry it out.

I grab a container of some gloopy navy mixture and take it to a blank wall. I stick my finger in it and draw hundreds of dots over the wall, all spread out.

I put the container down and grab a spear. I stand as far back from the wall as I can and launch it threw the air. It lands smack bang in the middle of a dot.

One by one, I hurl weapons at the wall until there's something lodged in each dot. On the very last one, I climb up the climbing wall and send an arrow into it.

Once I clamber down, I see the Gamemakers nodding happily. The one who I assume is the head stands up and says, "You may go now, Miss Thierry."

I nod and step into the elevator, proud of the impressed expressions that still linger on their faces. I whoosh up to our floor and find Leon in the lounge area.

"Hey, Nita," he says. "How did you do?"

"Pretty good I think. They seemed to enjoy it. What about you?"

"Much of the same. They looked like they enjoyed it. Just hope my score lives up to that."

That's right. Our scores will be televised tonight. I wonder what I've got…

* * *

Dinner that night is a happy affair. Everyone seems happy with what we've done in training and I find myself excited about the score. We head to the television room and flop down on the sofas.

District One come up first. A ten for both Iridesia and Ristan. Mori also gets a ten and Clarke gets a nine. District Three are typically low. And then it's District Four. Leon gets a 10 and as I congratulate him, I find my fingers scraping into my palm, hoping for the same. And I get my wish.

"Two tens!" exclaims Trinity. "That's fantastic!"

Everyone congratulates us before we watch the rest of the scores. The District Six boy, Onaro, pulls a nine, so he must have done something special. The District Eleven girl, Elvie, manages a ten as well. Man, the competition is tough this year. Even the little ones from twelve, Colbie and Adam, pull nines. Wonder what they showed the Gamemakers…

I head to bed, my score still flashing behind my eyelids. I wonder what my mother and Jett thought. They'd be so proud of me. And Tanner. I wonder what he's thinking now. Is he hoping I can live up to my score in the arena?

I drift off, thinking of memories of Marielle, my mother, Jett and me, sat around the kitchen table, chatting about nothing. And Tanner wanders through my dreams all night…

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I wrote this in a hurry because I really can't wait to get into the arena! Please enjoy.**

Chapter 6

I wake up, feeling blissfully happy, which is ridiculous of course. Rubbing my eyes and sitting up in bed, I hear someone pottering around in the walk-in-wardrobe. Dragging myself out of bed and across the plush carpet, I open the wardrobe door and find Trinity raking through the shoe rack.

"Oh, morning, Nita," she says chirpily. "I hope I didn't wake you. Today you'll be getting coached for your interviews and I was trying to find some shoes."

I smile, thank her and go for a shower. The interviews. This is my final chance to win over sponsors, with my personality. But what angle could I go for? Charming? Fierce? Flirtatious? I am going to need some serious help coming up with a convincing angle, since I can't think of a single way to present myself convincingly.

When I go back into the main room, I see Trinity has left. I pull on a black top and grey trousers and head down to breakfast.

Mags, Trinity and Finn are the only ones there. I nod hello and serve myself a heaped platter of eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, toast, and waffles. When I'm nervous, I tend to stuff myself. I guess it's a good thing the Capitol food is so delicious.

When I scrape my plate clean, Mags says, "Trinity and I will be coaching you for the interviews today. You'll start with Trinity, then have lunch and continue with me. Okay?"

"Yes," I say. Trinity, bubbly as ever, stands up and takes me to my room. She grabs a pair of shoes that she must have found this morning, puts me in a floor length dress and has me walk. I surprise even myself by being a natural walker. Trinity tells me I have a naturally confident stride and I smile.

The rest of the morning, we cover posture, facial expression, pronunciation, sitting and smiling. I do pretty well except for smiling. I can only smile when I'm truly happy, like when she gave me praise for my walk. All the smiles I'm giving her are completely forced.

"Well, I guess that's it, Nita. Do practice your smiles though please!" she babbles. This sarcastic comment obviously brings on another fake smile. Then I scowl at her and stalk from the room, heading to lunch.

Finn and Aisha are the only ones there. We have a bit of a laugh together – they're both so easy to talk to. Why aren't all the Capitol people this nice? Mags comes in when I'm just finished and drags me back to my room, where thankfully Trinity has disappeared.

"Okay, Nita, have you had any ideas about how to present yourself?" she asks.

"Emm…." I mumble, trying to come up with a convincing lie. And then I give up. "No. I tried to think this morning but nothing I thought up was anything like me."

"Okay. Well, if you think you're nothing – which you're not! – then how about going, mysterious?" she asks, a glint in her eye.

"Mysterious?" I repeat. It could work. Mags asks me two dozen questions and I answer the best I can. Nothing sounds very mysterious, but Mags reassures me that even if I don't come across as mysterious, I still have a bubbly personality.

Yeah right.

We practice for a bit longer and then head to dinner, where Trinity, Finn, Aisha, Leon and Pierce are already tucking in. Mags and I join in and I forget my woes about the interview – surely Finn will make me look good enough so that I'll win sponsors over anyway?

I'm shocked that night when I manage to find sleep instantly. I thought my worries would overcome me and I'd stay awake all night. But I have a restless night, and when I finally do awake, it's to my prep team grinning down on me. Setting my shower for me, I step in gratefully.

Mecianna pulls me out of it, drapes a robe around my shoulder and plonks me in a padded seat. Dimitri goes to work on wet hair, Leila on my nails and Mecianna on my face.

I must sit there for hours. When the prep teams are finally finished, my nails are long and covered in a sparkly silver polish. My hair is poker straight and floats around my shoulders. My eyes are ringed with black and smoked out, giving the impression of a bizarre panda. Finn comes in with a black garment bag and tells me to close my eyes.

My robe is removed and my dress slipped on. There material is soft on the inside but I can feel it jingling on the outside. Leila helps me into a pair of shoes.

"Open your eyes," says Finn.

I open and gasp at myself in the full length mirror. The dress is made of tiny, pure silver fish hooks. They jingle at the slightest movement. My shoes are gleaming silver as well. Finn drapes a silver net, similar to the one I wore in the opening ceremonies, around my shoulders,

"What do you think?" he asks.

"It's gorgeous," is all I can say. It's true. Finn has made me sensational. It's never going to matter what I say now.

We meet Leon and his team at the elevator. He's in a black suit, his hair gelled up into spikes. We shake hands.

"You look fantastic," he says.

"You too," I reply. We step into the elevator, leaving the teams behind. The ride is so short, we don't even bother speaking.

The other tributes are gathered offstage. Somebody forces us into the procession. The girl tribute precedes the boy, meaning I'll be seventh. I feel sorry for the District 12 boy, who'll have to wait until all the other tributes have had their turn. The audience will probably be bored by that time.

All of a sudden, we're walking onstage. I take my allocated seat and can't help noticing the hundreds of eyes that are trained on us.

Caesar Flickerman, who must be immortal or something since he's been around for all of the games and never seems to age, is dressed in his midnight blue suit. His eyes, lips and hair are an electric pink color, rather blinding to my eyes. He gives a small speech and the interviews begin with District One. Iridesia Leyann.

Iridesia is dressed in a shimmery gold gown that clings to her waist, then puffs out. She's playing the typical District One angle – sexy.

Ristan, Mori and Clarke's interviews flash by without comment. The district three tributes are both very quiet, answering one word answers to most of Caesar's questions.

"Nita Thierry."

I rise and my nerves evaporate. Who cares what I say? So what if I lose sponsors. I'm probably going to die anyway, whether I have sponsors or not.

I take my place next to Caesar and he shakes my hand jovially.

"So, Nita, how are you enjoying the Capitol?" he asks.

Be honest, I think. "Well, the Capitol is stunning, I must admit, but honestly, I much prefer District Four."

Caesar puts on a face of mock horror. "No?! What is it about District Four that you love so much?"

"Well, we swim a lot, which I love. And I love my friends and neighbors. But I guess the real reason is, it's my home. Everyone here will always prefer the place they come from."

"Well said," says Caesar, smiling. "Now, as everyone will know, you are the sister of last year's District Four tribute, Marielle Thierry, who was killed by her fellow District's tribute, who ended up winning. How did that affect your feeling when you were chosen?"

"I felt awful. Last year, we had to watch my sister die. I was convinced my mother and brother would have to watch the same happen to me. But I promised I would come back. I can't let them lose me as well. "

I hear a few sobs from the audience. It wasn't that touching, was it? "That's lovely, Nita. You sure are determined. And what about your feelings toward Pierce Levesque?"

I glance into the audience and spot Pierce, who's looking at the floor. "I don't feel anything for him. I hate him for killing Marielle, but all he wanted was to stay alive. You've got to do, what you've got to do."

The buzzer sounds. Already? "Great. Well, best of luck to District Four's female tribute, Nita Thierry!"

I make my way back to my seat, passing Leon on the way. I don't listen to his interview though. I don't watch anyone's. I just sit, lost in my own thoughts. I vaguely recall the a few of the angles they're playing up – District Six's boy, Onaro, is vicious, District Nine's girl, Zarina, is charming, District Eleven's tributes, both humorous, both of District Twelve's humble.

The anthem begins to play and I rise. When it finishes, I follow Leon off the stage. The throng of people is thick, so I'm practically shoved to the elevators. I end up in there with District Eleven, Elvie and Crayte. They both have dark skin and glassy brown eyes. They are tall and graceful, but talented. They did get high scores in training.

Elvie smiles at me and I return it without thinking. But she seems nice. If I wasn't a Career, I might think about teaming up with her. But I'm stuck with a bunch of people who hate me.

We arrive on my floor. Elvie gives me another smile and I leave her. Finn, Aisha, Trinity, Mags, Pierce and Leon are waiting for me in the lounge area. They seem pleased with my performance and Leon's (even though I have no clue what he did).

Mags says, "Tomorrow, Finn and Aisha will accompany you to the arena. We…we won't see you again unless…you come back. Which one of you will. But this is goodbye."

I gulp. I start with Aisha, since I don't really know her that well. She wraps her arms around me and whispers, "You can do it."

Trinity, who has just pulled away from Leon, with tears in her eyes, gives me a quick embrace and says, "You've both been fantastic." Then she hastens from the room, wiping her eyes as she does.

Pierce comes to me next. I haven't spoken to him the whole time I've been here. I don't really want to. But, nevertheless, he says, "Good luck, Nita."

"Thanks," I reply. I can't bear the thought of hugging him, so we shake hands.

Finn gives me a brief embrace and leaves, but I'll see him in the morning. That leaves Mags. She pulls me into her arms and I feel tears pool in my eyes. I barely know her, but she's so genuinely good, it's hard not to get close to her. Is this how Marielle felt last year? And even Pierce?

As we pull apart, Mags takes something out of her pocket. "Your friend gave this to me before we left District Four. He said to give it to you for a token, if you didn't already have one. I'm sorry I didn't give it to you sooner."

She hands me a small, compact mirror. When I flip it open, I see that it's not a mirror at all. There are photos. One of my mother, Jett, Marielle and I, huddled together on a warm summer's day on the beach. There's a picture of my friend Lucia, giggling. And the last one is Tanner. Effortlessly handsome, as ever, grinning cheekily. My eyes release the tears as I realize he must have been the one to give Mags this token. And she's right, I don't have one anyway.

"Thank you," I whisper to Mags. She strokes my hair and I leave the room. I huddle under the covers with the light on, knowing I'll never find sleep anyway. Instead, I pore over every detail of my friends' and families faces, praying that I'll get to see them again.

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**This is just a quick note to say I'm sorry I haven't uploaded in a while! I've been focusing on my other current fanfic, but I'm trying to do some work on 'Lethal' just now.**

**I've decided to skip the whole segment of Nita being taken to the arena and getting dressed, so we're now at the point where the she's about to rise up on the plate.**

Chapter 7

I take one last look at Finn's face, the small grin playing his lips. And then, I am in complete darkness, rising up on my plate. I keep thinking I'm going to reach the top when the darkness continues. How far underground are we? Or…how high are we going?

Eventually, I feel the wind whipping my hair and I'm in the daylight. My eyes take a moment to adjust, and when they do, I feel the wind. It's billowing strongly, so strongly in fact, I'm surprised I haven't fallen over. The Gamemakers must have done something to the plates this year to protect us from the wind; otherwise, all of us would be killed by the landmines.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the 35th Hunger Games begin!" the announcer declares. I take in my surroundings and find I was right about how high we travelled upwards – we are on a rocky cliff face, on a wide ledge. There are multiple ledges up and down it, to help us reach the ground, I guess. There's a waterfall far on my right, and looking down below, I see a wide river with a forest surrounding it.

I turn back to my opponents. I immediately spot Iridesia, two tributes to my left. She gives me a wink, and I remember she's one of my allies. When the gong sounds, the six Career tributes will be straight for the Cornucopia. That includes me.

All of a sudden, I hear the gong. I don't hesitate and sprint to the Cornucopia. Mori and I arrive at the same time, scrabbling around for weapons. I find some long knives, which I slide into my belt. Grabbing an axe, I turn around and lob it at an unfortunate tribute who I think is from District Five. It buries itself in her skull and she falls off the edge of the cliff.

Turning, I see Iridesia, Ristan, Mori, Clarke and Leon all grabbing weapons and hurling them at other tributes. I see Onaro, from District Six, barreling towards us and yell a warning to Clarke, who Onaro seems to be heading for. Clarke turns just in time and manages to launch a spear into his thigh. Onaro stumbles, but before any of us can attack him again, he hobbles to the edge of our ledge and steps off of it. I assume there must be steps because I see his head dropping out of sight for a few moments longer.

I turn my attention to the brutal battle that is commencing. I manage to injure and wound tributes, but the only other I think I kill is the District Ten boy. I can't even remember his name – how sick is that?

Sliding a knife out of my belt, I feel a sharp jab in my ankle. Glancing down, I see someone has chucked a knife into it. Just before I buckle with the pain, I glimpse Leon with a bow and sheath of arrows, one of which pierces the boy from District Three's neck. I guess that's who stabbed me.

Eventually, the Six of us gather at the Cornucopia, wounded and hungry. I inspect my ankle and find the knife only ripped the skin – it hasn't damaged much flesh and I can't see my bone. Thank god.

Iridesia, who seems miraculously uninjured, is helping a bruised Ristan clean a wound on his chest. Mori is wincing as she applies some salve from a pot from the Cornucopia. Leon's helping Clarke clean cuts on his arms. I go to help, since he seems to be more injured than I am.

The cannons begin. One, two, three….ten in total. Ten children dead. And I killed two of them. And I did it mercilessly – without even thinking, I lobbed that axe, I slit that boy's throat. How can the Capitol have turned me into a monster without me even realizing?

"Ten down, thirteen left," sneers Mori. I shudder at her seeming inconsideration for the loss of ten children.

"Shall we go find more just now, or wait till night?" asks Leon as I help him clean the very last wound on Clarke's shoulder.

"We should probably wait. That way, we'll be rested and they'll be sleeping," I say. Everyone nods their agreement.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I really need some sleep," says Ristan, flinching at the pain in his chest.

We agree on Ristan, Clarke and Mori taking a nap, since they're the most injured, with Iridesia, Leon and me keeping watch. Leon goes off to investigate the steps that Onaro and the rest of the tributes seemed to have fled off of. That leaves me and Iridesia, pacing the Cornucopia, startling each other when we turn face to face. Eventually, I get bored and sit down. Nobody's going to attack us now anyway, and if they did, we'd have the advantage because they'd be climbing the cliff. Iridesia joins me.

"You know, I don't think this alliance is going to last very long," she whispers, barely audible.

I'm confused. We're Careers, right? "What do you mean?" I whisper back.

"Look, Mori, Ristan and Clarke are all really strong. And all too alike. Sooner or later, they're going to crack. And I think it's going to be sooner rather than later."

I think for a moment. Maybe Iridesia's right. The little time that I've spent with those three has still showed me that they are all determined. This alliance is hanging in the balance.

"What do you think we should do?" I ask Iridesia.

"There's only one option. We take them out before they take us out."

A silence falls over us. She wants us to kill Ristan, Mori and Clarke. Who we made an alliance with. Can we really break it off on the very first day?

"Do you really think we need to do it this soon?" I ask her.

"Yes. Look, I don't know District Two all that well, but I've known Ristan for years, and he is lethal, Nita. He's been really friendly with Two the whole training session. Seriously, they're too dangerous."

Iridesia's right. We can't just leave them there, only to be killed very soon. But a disturbing though strikes me.

"What about Leon?" I say. We both look at him. He's bent over the steps, cutting something with his knife. Can we trust him? I don't think he'd kill me. But I don't think he'd be too keen to break off the alliance this early either.

Iridesia has a solution. "We don't kill him. We just knock him out before we kill the rest. Drag him into the Cornucopia, well out of sight."

I nod my agreement. "When should we do it?" I ask.

"Now," she replies. Standing up, she calls to Leon. "Hey, Leon! Come here, we need your help!"

He turns around and jogs up to us. I feel a pang of guilt shoot through me as I realize we are about to deceive him. And he doesn't have a clue.

When he reaches us, he only has time to open his mouth when Iridesia clamps her hand over his mouth and kicks his back. He grabs weakly at her hands as he falls to his knees. But she holds tight and soon, he's unconscious.

"You take him to the Cornucopia," she says. "I'll get Mori first."

I take Leon's head and pull him backwards, as gently as possible on the rough ground. He's completely out of it though, so it doesn't really matter.

When I emerge, I see Iridesia kneeling next to Ristan. Mori's throat is slit, a bright red streak piercing her flesh. She's still alive, barely, because no cannon has fired. Iridesia is wiping her knife clean, obviously about to use it on Ristan. How she can bear to kill the tribute from her own district is beyond me. I could never do it. It just brings back memories of Pierce and Marielle…

I figure I have to be the one to kill Clarke. I'm just thinking that I'll slit his throat as Iridesia did Mori, when the cannon fires. It must be Mori's and it wakes Clarke up. He takes a bewildered glance at her body and then my spear impales him. He gives me a look of contempt, coughs up some blood and falls backwards.

Seconds later, two more cannons sound. Ristan and Clarke's I hear the sharp whistle of a mockingjay and a hovercraft materializes. Iridesia joins me as we step out of the way. The three bodies are picked up and the hovercraft leaves silently.

I can't believe what has just happened. On the very first day, not only has there been the initial bloodbath, but a sneaky backstabbing by Iridesia and I. I hope we've made the right move.

"Come on. We need water and shelter," says Iridesia. I nod and collect my weapons, which are scattered around the Cornucopia. Iridesia's very bossy, but I like her. Maybe it's her strong independence, or knowledgeable speech. Or maybe, she reminds me a bit of Marielle.

We clamber down the steps and find they go all the way to the bottom, which saves us from having to climb down some areas. The ground below us is green and luscious, and the river is wide and surprisingly clean. I'm not convinced it's safe though. There have been plenty of arenas with poisons hidden in seemingly safe places.

We find a small cave, almost completely hidden by some unruly bushes. Treading carefully so as not to disturb them and reveal the cave completely, we make our way into it. It's small and dark, but surprisingly warm. I lay out some sleeping bags I found in the Cornucopia and Iridesia lays out some food that she found. We sit down, backs against the wall, munching small, hard biscuits.

Judging by the sun in the sky, it's around six o'clock. It's been an exciting day, but it's exhausted me. Iridesia catches me yawning.

"Have a rest. I'll watch," she tells me.

"Are you not tired?" I ask her.

She shakes her head. "I work a long shift back home. I'm used to being up all hours."

I smile and curl up in a sleeping bag. The second my eyes close, I'm in a deep sleep.

**Please review, I love reading what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much for the amazing reviews! They really do make my day! :D**

Chapter 8

I wake up to the sound of the anthem blasting into my eardrums. I sit up and I seem to frighten Iridesia, who jumps at my sudden movement. She quickly relaxes though and makes room in the entrance to our cave so that I can see the death recap.

The first to appear is Ristan. I feel Iridesia stiffen beside me and I know she feels guilty about what we did. But this is no time for regrets. He's followed by Mori and Clarke. Both the District Three tributes are also dead. Next is the District Five girl that I killed with the axe. My stomach turns into a knot as I remember how quickly she died, but how much pain her family and friends will be in now.

Next is the District Six girl, then both from Seven. The boys from Eight and Nine and both from Ten are also dead. I'm surprised that the young ones from Twelve are still alive. They must have fled the Cornucopia before it got bloody.

I'm sure the tributes are rejoicing at the fact that half of the Career pack is dead. They won't have a clue about what happened though. Even Leon might struggle to piece it together, unless he gained consciousness for the recap and realized we killed them. Unless he's woken up, he won't know who is dead.

Iridesia turns away from the entrance and curls up on the ground, trying to suppress a yawn. "Sleep. I'll watch," I tell her. She smiles gratefully and finally succumbs to exhaustion. Within minutes, her breathing is slow and she's fast asleep.

I look into the night sky and try to remember what I dreamed about. It was Tanner. I wonder what he's thinking about me teaming up with Iridesia, killing half of the Career pack. I suddenly feel scared – what if Iridesia is playing me? Is she simply teaming up with me because she thinks I'm too much competition? Am I too much competition? I don't think so. But maybe she does. And she's using me for protection to get to the end. Or until she gets sick of me and slits my throat.

I can't stay here with her. She could betray me at anytime. I silently gather up my weapons and roll up a sleeping bag, sticking it in a backpack and slinging it over my shoulder. As I pad to the cave entrance, I turn back, remembering how genuine she seemed at our first meeting. She was the only one who seemed to really like me.

Then again, I can't take the small chance that she's a great actress. Before I can talk myself out of it, I step out into the night air, the darkness lit up slightly by the moon. I push through the long grass and come up in the forest. It is much darker in here – the dense trees block out the moonlight, and this obscurity could conceal enemies. I quickly find another cave though. It's smaller than the one I shared with Iridesia, but it's warmer.

I rip some grass from the cave door and lay it on the floor, giving myself a warm blanket. I can't let myself sleep though. Most likely Onaro from Six is out hunting in the darkness, and Leon might be as well. Or he might still be lying in the Cornucopia, oblivious to everything.

My attention turns to the audience. What an exciting games! Already they've seen a brutal battle, a betrayal and a broken alliance. It's going so fast! That's thirteen tributes gone already. More than half. Maybe these games will be over quickly and I can go home. Or to heaven.

Morning comes quickly and with it comes thirst. My throat is dry, my tongue cracked. When I leave my cave, my head spins and I have to hold on to the jagged rocks to stop myself from tipping over.

I open my backpack and find some wire, a bottle, a small first aid kit and several little packets of food. Grabbing the bottle, I take a spear in my other hand and try to head back to the river, using the thick trees for camouflage. It doesn't take long to reach the tree line, but as I approach the edge, I hear rustling. Whether it's intentional or not, somebody has just given up their location to me. I turn to my right and quietly pace to the sound.

The sound was obviously unintentional. There's a girl lying there – I think she's from District Nine. She's on her side and blood is pumping steadily from a wound on her abdomen. Her hands are pressed against it and when I gently move them away, she winces. I shudder as I see it. There's a gaping hole on her stomach. Whoever injured her must have thought she was dead. I'm surprised she isn't.

Brushing the hair out of her eyes, I whisper, "Can you hear me?" since she doesn't look like she can talk, I add, "Blink three times if you can."

Her eyes find mine and she blinks five times. I breathe a sigh of relief. At least we can communicate. I reach for my pack when I remember I left it in my cave, hoping to return with some water. I can't help this girl without that first aid kit.

I make eye contact again and she gazes at me pleadingly. "I have a first aid kit. but it's not with me. I'm going to have to move you."

She gives me a look of pure terror. Opening her mouth slightly, she says, "H…hurt."

"I know it hurts," I tell her. "But I can't help you without that first aid kit. I would go and bring it here, but even then, I couldn't treat you in the open."

A single tear rolls down her cheek and her lip trembles. I feel so guilty, but I shake off the feeling, since I am trying to help her. Shrugging off my jacket, I gently lie it next to her. "I need to roll you onto your back," I tell her.

She seems to have composed herself. Gritting her teeth, she gives the tiniest of nods. "On three," I say. "One…two…three." I tenderly roll her onto her back. The sound she makes is awful – like a dying animal. I almost relent, but I have to help her. Before she can make anymore excruciating sounds, I grab the sleeves of my jacket and wrap them around the bottom of her ribs, just above the wound. Tying them tightly, I gently lay the rest of the jacket on her wound. She lets out a moan, but I manage to ignore it. Grabbing my belt, I loop it around her body and secure it softly, without hurting her more. Good – no blood trails.

Taking a deep breath, I say, "I need to stand you up."

She simply stares at me. I wonder if she's unresponsive, when she coughs and says, "How far?"

"Not too far. But it'll hurt," I say.

She nods understandingly. "I'll try and stay quiet."

"Just try and stay alive," I reply.

Slipping my arm behind her head, I gently lift her into a sitting position. She gasps but manages to refrain from crying out. I see blood soaking my jacket, but I don't care. I'm more preoccupied with helping this girl live.

As I prepare to hoist her to her feet she says, "Distract me. Talk to me."

"Okay…what's your name? I pull her to her feet and she barely holds back a groan – I can see it in her face. Leaning on my shoulder she says, "Zarina. And you?"

"Nita," I tell her. "District Four." I very carefully begin to walk, Zarina balanced on my side.

She's breathing heavily and I don't know how she hasn't screamed yet. But instead she says, "You're the one…whose…sister…was in last…year."

"Yeah," I reply. "Marielle. Her District partner killed her and became the victor." We're walking very slowly and I pray there's nobody in the vicinity. If I managed to get my weapons ready in time for an attack, that would mean shoving Zarina to the ground.

"That…must have been hard," she says. I can see the cave now.

"Yeah, it was. But life goes on," I say. "We're going over there." I nod in the direction of the cave.

She smiles slightly, the screams out, "Nita! Nita there's somebody over there!"

Her words are barely out when I see Onaro in the trees. His eyes are menacing and before I can do anything, he launches a knife. It heads straight for me and I take it in the stomach, the same place as Zarina. We topple backwards and the world goes black.

**Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for not updating in ages! With Christmas coming up, I've been ultra busy. This chapter was really difficult to write - I'm not sure why! I had to keep changing things and the finished product is pretty rubbish, but I promise it will improve! Please enjoy!**

Chapter 9

I am cold. Very, very cold. My mouth is dry, my hair on my face. I vaguely register a pain in my abdomen, reminding me of everything that happened. How am I still alive?

I open my eyes slowly. I'm propped up on a blanket, in a cave. This cave is huge though. It has multiple exits to it, meaning it probably leads to others. A quick scan of the room shows me Zarina, the District Nine girl I rescued. I now remember her properly from before the Games. With her hair brushed, her expression relaxed as she sleeps, she is stunning.

"You're awake! Are you okay?" a loud, excited voice comes from my left. It's a girl, only about twelve. When she comes nearer, I see it's the District Twelve girl. She has all the characteristics that the District Twelve tributes tend to – straight black hair, grey eyes and olive skin. Her face is narrow and pixie-like, her features long and angular.

"Emm, I think so. What happened?" I ask.

She plonks herself next to me, tossing her hair behind her ears. "I'm Colbie. We thought you were going to die. We saw that boy, Onaro, throwing his knife at you. When we reached you, you were both unconscious."

"Wait – we? Who else is with you?" I ask her.

"Me and my District Twelve partner, Adam. The District Eleven tributes, Elvie and Crayte are with us too."

"So what happened to Onaro?" I ask.

"Crayte…he ran after him. He told us to take you back here and look after you – he'd meet us after he got Onaro. But…the cannon fired not long after. And in the death recap, Crayte's face was there."

She looks at her hands, biting her lip. "I'm sorry," I say.

She looks back up and says, "It's ok."

"Why did you help us?" I ask.

"Well, we followed you. We thought since you were going to be with the Careers, you might have known what happened to them." She pauses and leans forward slightly. "What did happen?"

"Me and Iridesia, from District One, we killed them all apart from my District Four partner. We just knocked him out and hid him."

"If you were going to kill them, why not kill him too?" she asks, looking puzzled.

"My sister was killed by her District partner last year. I didn't want to do that this year," I say.

She nods at me. All of a sudden, Zarina stirs. Her eyes open and she smiles. "You're finally up."

"Hey, I was up before you," I joke.

"Yeah, but I woke up last night, during the death recap."

"How many nights did I miss?" I ask Colbie.

"Just one. You were hit yesterday morning. It's about midday just now. The others have gone searching for food. You guys must be hungry."

I suddenly feel my stomach complaining, not just from my wound but from hunger as well. "Yeah," I answer.

"We put some stuff in the next cave. I'll go and get it." She strides out of the cave and Zarina and I are left together in an awkward silence.

She's the first one to speak. "Why did you do it? Why did you save me?"

I don't know how to answer. Why did I save her? I'd already killed and betrayed people – what was stopping me from killing her too?

"I guess…I've been awful in this game. We've only been here three days and already I've killed three people and betrayed another. I don't want to be an animal." This reply shocks me. But it's true. I do not want to be an animal.

She gives me weak smile. "Me neither."

Colbie comes back at that moment, laden with food. Fish, turkeys, berries and nuts. How they've managed to collect all this in three days is beyond me, but I immediately tuck into some fish. Yum…it's salty and fresh, like the stuff we catch back in District Four.

I look up and see Colbie grinning at me. "You're eating like a maniac."

"I'm hungry," I reply and she laughs. Her expression immediately goes dark as the sound of footsteps echoes through one of the exits. It must be a tunnel. Colbie grabs a knife, holds a finger to her lips and leaves the cave, poised to attack. She returns a few moments later, however, knife back in her belt, two people following her.

"So, you finally woke up," grins the boy, Adam. He has a sort of warm glow radiating from him and I can't help but smile back.

The girl, Elvie, introduces herself and they sit down, stuffing food down their throats like they've never seen it before. Then again, they are from the poorer districts. The Capitol must have been a dream come true.

"So, were there any other deaths last night?" I ask. I don't like bringing it up since one of their pack died last night, but I need to know who else is left.

"The boy from five. There's nine of us left. Girl from One, you and the District Four boy, Onaro from Six, the girl from Eight, Zarina and us three," says Elvie. She has a very assertive demeanor, yet she also shows wisdom and vulnerability. She's the oldest out of all of us, maybe one of the oldest ones left. Somehow, I instantly trust her.

Glancing around the cave, I realize something. "What if somebody was to die in here? How would the hovercraft get them out?"

Elvie points upwards. At first, I see nothing. Then, I spot a thin metal strip running all the way around the roof. It must lift off if there's a death. I hope I never get to see it.

The day passes quickly, with Elvie, Colbie and Adam telling Zarina and I about what they've done in the few days we've been here. Mostly hunting and foraging. Coming from District Eleven, Elvie knows a lot about plants, which means all of what we're eating has been scanned over by her.

Apparently, a cannon went off this morning, while Zarina and I were sleeping. Zarina and I realize that if we want to see the death recap, we'll have to get through the tunnel. I think this is going to impossible when I remember Colbie telling us that her mother is a healer. The wound is throbbing but it's not the agony I'd have to endure if someone less capable had tended to it.

Adam, who is surprisingly tall for his age, slides his arm around my shoulders and gently pulls me up. Elvie has done the same for Zarina and we hobble through a tunnel with Colbie leading the way. The tunnel is narrow and dark, but Colbie has a torch so we can see what we're doing.

The anthem plays and the girl from District Eight appears. I'm slightly disappointed – I was hoping it would be Onaro. He's the biggest competition in this horrific place. I can see the others are dissatisfied but it can't be helped .we'll just have to get him ourselves.

We walk back to our cave and I find that I'm exhausted. The brief journeys through the tunnel have wiped me out. Zarina looks like she's feeling the same. Adam tenderly lays me back on the blanket and almost instantly my eyelids begin to droop. I sink into darkness, praying that I'll have dreams and not nightmares tonight…

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Another rushed chapter, but enjoy anyway!**

Chapter 10

Morning comes quickly and the first thing that happens when I wake is Colbie checking me over. She unwraps the bandage and I brace myself as she probes the wound. But the pain I imagined is not there – it's more like mild stomach cramps. Colbie must be some sort of genius, even for a twelve year old.

Everyone else is already up, including Zarina, who seems to be almost fully healed. She's standing and walking around with no help. Yet I find when I try to do the same, it's just as easy. Shortly after realizing this, I pounce on Colbie and hug her. What an angel.

Breakfast consists of a small water bird that they found yesterday. I recognize it as a Nytter, something that seemingly only District Four has. Breakfast is surrounded by cheerful chatter. I feel happier than I have in days. Most of it is the company but also the fact that we're down to the final eight. My family and friends will be getting interviewed back home. Oh, they'll be so proud! Unless they're thinking of Marielle…

When we are all fed, we decide to go out foraging. Apparently Colbie has been using the ready-made medicines that can be found in the arena and her inventory is low. I grab a spear and slide some knives into my belt. It's only as we're about to leave that I stick some berries in my pocket and feel something inside. I pull out my token that I had forgotten completely about. As the others sort out their weapons, I smile at the photos of my family and friends and remember that I have to go home. I have to go home for them.

It is warm and bright outside, the sun forcing itself through the dense forest. Very quickly, we stumble upon some of the most important herbs that Colbie has been using in the treatment of our wounds. She stuffs them into her backpack.

Elvie clears her throat and says, "Do you think we should try the river? We need water."

I'm about to say yes when Adam intervenes. "No. It's too dangerous."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Have you been to the river yet?" he asks. When I shake my head, he continues, "its salt water. Undrinkable. The only pure stuff is behind the waterfall. It's tricky to get to but we've managed a few times. But the last time we were there, we heard someone. There's a ledge and a tunnel, so we think someone's made camp in there. It sounded like Onaro so we got our water and left as quickly as we could. It must have been Onaro – I mean, who else could it have been?"

"It might have been Leon," I say. "It's more likely to be him since he's from District Four."

"Even if it is Leon, we can't go in there. We don't know what he'd do," says Adam.

"But we need water," says Zarina.

There's a moments pause, and I break it by saying, "I'll go." The others give me shocked looks so I continue, "I'm pretty sure Leon wouldn't hurt me."

"But what if it's Onaro?" asks Colbie anxiously. "He'll rip you apart."

"We'll never know until we try. If it's Leon, we get water. If it's Onaro, I die. Simple as that. I want to try it."

Adam looks ready to argue but Elvie lays a hand on his shoulder. "We need water. We need to try."

Sighing heavily, Adam reluctantly says to me, "Fine. But I'm coming with you."

I shake my head vigorously. "No. If it's Onaro, both of us will get killed. I'd rather it was me than the two of us."

Adam seems poised to argue again but he doesn't. He presses his lips together tightly and looks at the forest floor.

"Right, let's go then," says Elvie. She leads the way to the river, since I don't have a clue where it is. We reach the edge of the forest and after a scan of the river, we determine there's nobody here. Everyone has their weapons out except for me. I slide my belt off, keeping one knife in my pocket. Elvie empties her backpack and hands it to me. I stuff some bottles in it. Then I pull my hair up into a bun and we go to the waters edge.

I turn to the others who look petrified – more scared than me. I'm strangely not scared at all. "If I'm taking too long, leave and go back to the cave. If someone approaches you out here, go back to the cave. Don't wait on me." I wait for Adam's protest but it doesn't come. They give me tight smiles and I leave them beside the river. I tell them to wait here, even though the waterfall is very far away. It means they're safer if I get attacked.

I turn away and without hesitating dive into the water. It's cold and exhilarating. It's so nice in here, like being home on weekends with Jett, my mother, Lucia and occasionally Tanner, floating in the water, splashing each other and diving for fish. I do a somersault and begin to swim towards the waterfall. I can tell I am getting close by the mass of bubbles.

Popping my head out the water, I turn around and discover I can no longer see the others. The river bends around the cliff, obscuring them from my view. I need to hurry.

I swim to the edge with my head out of the water so that I can see if an attack begins there's a tiny gap between the waterfall and the cliff and I can see the ledge Adam told me about. It doesn't look like there's anyone there, but then again, I can only see a tiny part of it. I swim towards it anyway and figure out why anyone not from District Four would find it difficult to get in. there are multiple rocks piled up, jagging out of the water and blocking the entrance. When I go back underwater however, I can see a tiny opening. I swim through and toss my head out of the water. But I'm not alone.

Leon is curled up on the ledge, one hand on his leg which is oozing blood. The other hand is holding a spear, ready to attack. When he sees me though, he smiles and lowers it. "Hey, Nita."

"Hey," I say, pulling myself out of the water and sitting next to him. "What happened to you?"

"That District Six boy is a bloody menace," he says. He's trying to smile but it looks like more of a grimace.

"Let's see," I say. I pull his hand away to reveal a small hole where Onaro must have stabbed him. "Ouch. He got me too, but I've been patched up."

"Really? By who?" he asks.

"Colbie, the District Twelve girl. Her mums a healer and I swear, she's a medical genius. I could get her if you want?"

He shakes his head. "No. I don't feel like allying with anyone. Not after last time." He finishes this with a pointed look and I blush. "What did you do that for?"

"Iridesia thought it would be best to get rid of the Careers. So we did – but I couldn't kill you. Not after last year."

"So are you still allied with her?" he asks, wincing as I begin to clean his wound.

"No. I didn't know if I could trust her. But the ones I'm with now, they healed me, so I trust them."

"So who else is with you?" he asks.

"Both from Twelve and the girl from Eleven. They're nice," I say. The wound looks a lot better now it's clean.

"Lovely," is his response. I pull up my shirt and remove one of my bandages to use on Leon's leg.

"There. You're all done," I say. He gives me a grateful smile. "Why don't you come with me? The other three, they're really smart, and kind too."

"No. I think I'll just stay on my own." He looks like he's about to say something else when he stops himself.

There's an awkward pause. Then, I pull out the bottles and fill them up, placing them back in the pack when I'm done. Then, I say, "Well, I've got to go. The others will be worried. Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Totally sure," he says. He smiles and I return it. Then I jump back into the water and swim away. I get through the opening and swim as fast as I can back to the edge. When I think I'm around the bend, I stick my head out so my allies can see that I'm okay. They all look relieved and I know they didn't think I'd return.

I pull myself out of the water and Zarina surprises me by hugging me. "Your okay!"

I laugh and say, "Yeah. It wasn't Onaro, it was Leon."

"Was there any trouble with him?" asks Elvie.

"No. we just talked for a bit and then I left. I asked him to come with me but he wouldn't."

Elvie nods. "Let's get back then."

We walk back to the cave and darkness falls soon afterwards. There were no deaths today. It makes a nice change. Zarina decides to take the first watch and the rest of us curl up in our sleeping bags.

As we're lying there, I pull out my photos again and stare at the familiar faces of Jett, Marielle, my mother, Lucia and Tanner. I finally drift off with the pictures still enclosed in my hand…

**Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**I've finally updated! Please enjoy!**

_Tonight I lack the strength to even move,  
When you walked, now watch me die  
__But I know this is harder for you,  
For love has let you down  
And the road ahead is lined with broken dreams,  
So walk, yeah walk on by  
And I failed to give you everything you need,  
For the fears, behind your eyes  
__**Pilot Speed - Alright**_

* * *

Chapter 11

I wake up at around midnight to the sound of trumpets blowing. I jump up and race down the tunnel to the entrance, where I find Zarina, still taking the watch. The others quickly come hurtling down behind me. All of us panting, the voice of Wol Templesmith echoes out across the arena.

"Tomorrow, morning, you will all discover that something you've been heavily dependent on has vanished. A feast will be held for you to regain that necessity. The feast will take place at the Cornucopia at noon. You will all come – you will need to."

Wol's words hang in the air. Something is going to be taken from us. And it will be returned at the feast – unless our opponents take it first.

I turn to my allies. They look puzzled, and I probably do too. "What are they going to take?" Elvie asks.

"It could be anything. Water. Food. The forest destroyed. The caves ruined. This is the Hunger Games – I wouldn't be surprised if they took our toenails."

Adam's sarcastic comment makes us all burst out laughing, and when we start, it's hard to stop. We laugh until the breath is leached out of our lungs, stitches tearing at our sides. I am the first one to stop, so I'm the first one to realize that we've attracted some attention.

There's a dark figure standing at the edge of the forest. I nudge Zarina, who's next to me and she stops laughing when she sees what I'm staring at. The others stop as well, seeing our sudden silence and then noticing what we're staring at.

The person seems to realize that there is no point in hiding there. If they wanted to kill us, they should have done it when we were laughing hysterically. They step out of the tree line, between the woods and our cave and the moonlight illuminates them.

It's Iridesia.

She's no longer the stunning beauty she was before the arena. The Hunger Games has changed that. Her skin is dirty and covered in scratches, her hair matted and frizzy. Her eyes are bulging widely out of their sockets. She looks like a savage.

"So, you thought you'd abandon me did you?" she screams. Her words are obviously directed at me. I move in front of my allies so I can look into her eyes. She looks scared, and hurt, but most of all, angry.

"You're a little bitch, you know that? How dare you leave me? Were you going to kill me, but you lost your nerve? I was your ally, for Christ's sake!"

I let her words wash over me. They make me feel remorseful – maybe I was wrong to leave her.

"Did you think I was going to kill you? Because guess what! I was! You were right, you two-faced cow! I was going to kill you. But I wanted you on my side first. And then you ruined my plan. Well…now I can finish you off."

I haven't noticed the spear she's holding. Before I can react, she throws it in an arc, heading straight towards me.

"NO!" someone screams.

A small body jumps in front of me and the spear embeds itself in her chest. Someone else shoots an arrow at Iridesia. It pierces her neck and she falls to the ground. There was nobody to jump in front of her.

Shaken, I kneel next to the limp form in front of me. It's Colbie. Smart, brave, young Colbie sacrificed herself for me. The tears obscure her from my vision and I wipe them away impatiently.

There's no way we're going to save her. If it was someone else, maybe. But Colbie was our healer. And that wound is far too severe. Colbie stretches out a shaking hand and I clasp it in my own.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because you're going to win. I can feel it," she stutters. She gives me a weak smile and then begins coughing. She sputters Elvie with blood. And then she goes still. Two cannons go off and I know there is no saving her.

I killed her.

Zarina grips me under the armpits and drags me back into the tunnel. When we reach the cave, she sets me down and wraps her arms around me as my body wracks with sobs. For what feels like an age, we sit there, and I can feel the tears in my hair that mean Zarina's crying as well.

How is it possible to become so close to someone in a matter of days? I don't know. But I know that part of me died with that girl. I will always remember her. I'll remember her until the day I die, which could be any day. But the loss of little Colbie will stay with me through my remaining time.

Eventually, the sobs subside. I realize Adam and Elvie have joined us and are sitting curled up as well. They've stopped crying too. Adam's face is contorted with anguish and rage. Of course – Colbie was his district partner.

It dawns on me that I'm the only one with my district partner left. I count the remaining tributes in my head – Onaro, Zarina, Elvie, Adam, Leon and me. Six left. Maybe I'll win. Maybe I'll get back to my friends and family. Maybe I can honour little Colbie by winning, like she wanted me to.

I offer to watch. The others drift off to sleep immediately, even Adam, who I thought would be too distraught to sleep. I know I am – that's the only reason I offered to watch. I won't be able to sleep. And if I did manage, Colbie's limp body would stay in my mind all night, imprinted into my dreams and nightmares.

I don't wake anyone to take over the watch, so when I leave the tunnel entrance and go to the cave, I see everyone wide awake and alert after a long sleep. We don't mention Colbie, but her absence lingers in the air as we grab some food and weapons and head outside.

"Did you see anything? What the Gamemakers have taken?" Elvie asks.

I shake my head. "Nothing. Whatever they took is nowhere near us."

We decide to go hunting. We have plenty of food, but none of us wants to stay in the cave doing nothing until noon.

It quickly becomes apparent what the Gamemakers have taken. There's an area of the woods where my allies have been finding tons of rabbits. Today, there is none. We head towards some berry bushes. They are stripped bare, no fruit or greenery. When we head to the waters edge, we find there are no Nytter's. They have taken our food.

"Do you think we should go to the feast?" asks Zarina. "I mean, we have enough food to keep ourselves going for now. If we stay in our cave and let Onaro and Leon go, maybe they'll finish each other off."

"And then what do we do Zarina?" snaps Adam. "Then it would only be us left."

There's a moment of silence while Adam's words sink in. he's right – if we go, odds are we're not all going to survive. If we leave it to Onaro and Leon, odds are they're going to kill each other, leaving us four to kill each other.

"We have to go," I say. "I'd rather get killed by them than killed by my allies."

"I agree," says Elvie. She's very pale. It's no wonder – I'm terrified.

We turn to Zarina, who's shuffling uncomfortably. "Okay," she says. "I don't want to, but I guess we'll have to."

So that's it. We are basically walking to our deaths. The Games may be over soon. I wonder who I'll be reunited with – my family or Colbie.

**Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Please enjoy!**

Chapter 12

The climb up the steps of the cliff is treacherous – I never realized how steep it was when I ran down here with Iridesia. All of us are fit, but after a few minutes, our breathing has turned to gasping. What's worse is that the sun is at its peak, beating down on us relentlessly, causing sweat to drip down our faces.

At last, when our limbs are so sore it is difficult to move, we reach the top. Despite our physical exhaustion, we all pull out our weapons and become instantly alert, for our enemies may already be here.

"Hey, look at that," Elvie whispers. She's pointing to a large crack in the rocks, plenty of room to hide us all until noon. I lead the way, a spear in my hand as I enter, just in case Onaro or Leon is inside. But it's clear. The crack turns out to be a small cave, with just enough room for us to slip inside.

We were up early, so we still have quite a while to wait until the feast begins. We don't talk much. All of us know that this could well be the very last day in the arena.

During the morning, neither Leon nor Onaro appear. This means they either aren't coming, or they hid before we did. I'm pondering where they are hiding when suddenly, the wind picks up. The temperature has been so high today that the sudden chill makes us all shiver. I peek out of our cave and see leaves billowing in the strong wind. Even though I'm in the protection of the cave, I can feel the force of the wind and I know this is not natural – this is a Gamemaker creation.

Suddenly, the ground beside the Cornucopia begins to shake violently. The ground splits open to reveal a long table laden with luxurious Capitol food. I lick my lips and I suddenly understand why the Gamemakers have picked up the wind - when we all run for the food, not only will we have enemies to face, the wind will also be blowing strongly, trying to send us off of the cliff.

I glance at my allies and we silently nod at each other. Our weapons are poised to attack as we run outside.

The wind initially takes my breath away. Living in District Four, next to the sea, we get a lot of wind. But I have never felt anything this strong. The food on the table must be stuck down; otherwise it would have already blown away. My hair is whipping my face and I regret not tying it back. My companions are also fighting unruly hair and our strength is pushed to the limit as holding our weapons up is a challenge.

A blood-curdling scream pierces the air and I turn around so fast I feel my neck crack. Wincing slightly, I see Adam has lost his balance and is struggling to stay on his feet. Elvie, who is screaming, is trying desperately to pull him forward.

"Elvie, no! You can't do anything, you'll just get yourself killed!" I shriek, determined to make her understand. If Adam falls, it will be awful, but if they both do it will be ten times worse.

Maybe she can't hear me or maybe she doesn't care what I am saying – as Adam loses his balance completely and falls to the ground, Elvie dives towards him, yelling and sobbing, desperate to save his life. But I know it's too late, for both of them now. As Elvie manages to grasp Adam's hand, a gust of wind knocks them sideways and off of the cliff.

Zarina stares at me, shock and sorrow in her eyes that I know is reflected in my own. Two cannons go off. Blinking back tears, I clutch at Zarina's hand and pull her slowly towards the table of food.

Almost as quickly as it came, the wind stops. Zarina and I topple over because we've been struggling and pushing ourselves forward. Zarina gets to her feet first, brushing off dirt and small pebbles that have clung to her shirt. Just as she straightens up and I begin to get to my feet, a spear comes out of nowhere and embeds itself in her abdomen, exactly where her first wound was.

"Well well well," comes a husky voice. I turn around slowly and look into the eyes of Onaro. He has a large bruise on his left temple but other than that, he's completely unscathed. Lucky bastard.

"You know, I predicted you'd do well, but I never thought you'd get this far," he says. He's smirking slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting up menacingly.

Clearing my throat, I say, "And why was that?" I'm shocked I can even speak.

"Well, you got a good training score, but you seemed kind of…weak," he sneers.

When he utters the last word, I toss my spear at him. He dodges it and starts to laugh, maybe thinking I have no other weapons. As I run for him, however, he sees the long knife in my belt and lifts up his own knife in defence. My knife slits his shoulder, but he barely flinches, and before I know it, he has stabbed me in the stomach.

I ecxpect to feel pain but I am strangely numb at the moment. I hold my knife above my head and scream with rage, before plunging it into Onaro's chest. He gives me a look of deepest loathing before falling to the ground and bleeding out before my eyes. A cannon rings as his body goes completely still.

Panting, I turn back to Zarina, who is limp on the ground. She's still alive though, barely. I kneel by her side and stroke her hair. She opens her mouth as if to speak, but I say, "No, its okay. Don't speak."

But she says something anyway. "Win." A bubble of blood bursts in the corner of her mouth and she breathes a slow breath, before going completely immobile. A cannon fires and I stare at my last remaining ally, dead on the ground.

The hovercraft has arrived without me noticing. Onaro's body has already been collected, and I back away as the claw grasps Zarina. As the shiny, metal hovercraft disappears into the sky, I let sobs overcome me, even though I still have one more person to defeat. I curl on the ground, my arms gripping my knees, my head slumped forward. My whole body shakes as I weep, for the loss of not only my allies, but possibly my sanity.

When my sobs finally subside, I remember Leon. I wonder if he's here, hidden for all of the events that have unfolded on the cliff top. Maybe he's already left with as much food as he can carry.

I pull myself slowly to my feet and get a shock when I glimpse at the food table. Leon is leaning against it casually, a spear abandoned by his feet, staring at me avidly like a Capitol resident would stare at the television screen during the Games. I would think he'd be smiling, but his face reflects to sadness that is in my own.

"Hi Nita," he says. His voice is heavy and somber, like he knows how badly I'm feeling. Like he would know.

When I don't answer him, he picks up a roll off of the table and chucks it in my direction. I don't move, I don't speak – I don't even know how I'm still breathing. Sighing in defeat, Leon begins to approach me.

I immediately become tenser. And then I realize that I don't care if he kills me. My life is over anyway – I know that if I make it out of here, I'll have trouble forgetting Colbie healing my wound, Adam and Elvie making me laugh, Zarina's dying breath. I let my body relax as Leon comes closer, one hand leaning on a small knife in his belt.

He stops when he's so close to me, I can feel each of his breaths on my face. A thought springs to my mind – the two District Four tributes made it this far last year - and I manage to force out the words. "Just like last year."

He smiles and whispers, "Not quite."

Before I know what's happeneing, Leon has pressed his lips against my own. When he pulls away, he lifts his knife to his own throat and pulls it across his neck, creating a gash that spills blood so fast I'm surprised he doesn't look like a prune. As his body shrivels and the final cannon fires, I can't think. I don't even know what's just happened.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner of the 35th Hunger Games, Nita Thierry from District Four!"

**Please review! Just so you know, the next chapter will not be Nita's return to the Capitol and back to District Four. It will be a look into the future and what happened to Nita Thierry later in life.**


	13. Epilogue Somehow

**Epilogue  
Somehow  
**

Life hasn't been easy for us. We've struggled, had so much pain in our lives – this is the final straw.

My beautiful wife is flat on her back in the living room, a sheet of smooth plastic covering her corpse. Masses of Peacekeepers are swarming around and the flashes at the windowpanes are the Capitol photographers outside. Everyone wants to capture a picture of Nita Thierry-Cresta, District Four's most famous victor, dead by her own hands.

The strange thing is, I am not sad. I knew she couldn't hold on any longer. Not after our son Leon passed away earlier this year. Not even the thought of our two year old daughter could keep her here. I'm more frustrated and angry than miserable.

I leave my wife's body and head down the embellished hallway to my daughter's room. Shouts of "Mr Cresta!" and "Tanner, wait!" echo from every direction, but I ignore them. My daughter is sitting in her cot, tears rolling down her pretty pink cheeks. She doesn't understand what's happened but the mass of people at our home is overwhelming for one so little. I pick her up and hug her close to me.

She looks up at me with her enchanting emerald eyes and I give her a reassuring smile. I know I'm not going to get to see her grow up. My illness has been getting steadily worse and I've been told I'll be lucky to make it to the end of the year. When I die, my beautiful daughter will be sent to the community home. It's such an awful place – it's actually a good thing the kids get out to train for the Games, otherwise they'd be stuck inside all day, abused by the strictest of guardians.

I hope Annie never has to go to the Games. I'm not a religious person but I suddenly have the urge to pray – pray for my daughter, to never be selected to play in the deadliest of games. For my son, to be looking down on us and smiling as we cherish our time together. For my wife, to still love us, even though she's left us in this terrible mess.

For us all to be together again – somehow.


End file.
